Dramatically Changed, Forever the Same
by Switchblade Conlon
Summary: Jane Price's parents were killed in an accident. Now the middle classed 15 year old sweetheart has nowhere to go. Until....*Summary sucks, R&R please! this is my first fanfic!*
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Newsies!! Unfortunately, enough I own only Isabella Rose and the story plot.

Chapter 1: Setting the Scene (Prologue)

"Are you sure? Both of them?" I tearfully asked my friend Boots the delivery boy who had just delivered a telegram from the hospital.

"Yeah. That's what it says, Janey. I'm so sorry, this shouldn't have happened to you," he sympathetically replied.

"It was a fluke accident. It was no ones fault...but why both of them?"

My middle-classed parents, Oliver and Minnie Price, had been out shopping for groceries all morning. On their way home, they had been riding one of the trollies that had refused to strike with the rest. During the ride, some ex trolley drivers jumped the driver of the non striked trolley car and the car went down and a hill too fast and crashed, killing several people, including both of my parents.

"I'm awful sorry Jane. If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know," Boots said before hugging me one final time and ducking out.

I spent the rest of that horrible afternoon crying and the evening calling Uncle Nathan and explaining everything to him. He promised to take care of all the legal matters as long as I could take care of myself for a day or two.

"So, what are you going to do for money?" my uncle asked presently. "You could come and live with me and my family, if you wanted to."

"No, um….an….aunt of mine who lives in, er…Boston already agreed to take me in. I'm leaving after the funeral the day after tomorrow. Thank you, though. Goodbye now, uncle!" I said quickly and hung up the receiver. Well, now I was really stuck. I had no place to go. I wouldn't go with uncle Nathan because he already had enough mouths to feed on a small enough salary. I couldn't go with and other aunts or uncles as I did not have any. I couldn't live by myself so I would have to go into a boarding house, which would need to be payed for, so I would also need a job. I mentally checked all the jobs in knew of for a fifteen year old girl in New York City.

Chimney Sweep?- I couldn't make that work. Besides, girls, unless very small, did not go to that line of work.

Maid?- Yuck! I hate cleaning!

Nanny?- Much as I love children I would go mad with that job.

Wow, I can't think of anything. Maybe Boots will be able to…

"Well—" started Boots the next morning. "How about… no no no. What if you… that wouldn't work either. I got it! How about being a newsie?!"

"But I'm a girl. Only boys are newsies. I couldn't:"

"Think about it! Not hard work, dirt cheep lodging, and being around everyone else gives you protection! It's perfect! Just borrow some of my clothes, cut your hair and that way you're not in any danger of getting ra—annoyed by the boys for being the only girl."

The more Boots talked the better it sounded. "Alright," I finally conceded. "I'll start first thing after the funeral. Uncle Nate already got all of my money in the bank. I have all of the legal matters solved and unlce Nathan will take the house! Oh Boots thank you! You gave me the most wonderful idea!"

Not much is to be said about the funeral, it was lovely and not an eye was dry. Boots, next to whom I was sitting, had teary eyes and a teary shoulder, because I had been crying into it. As incredibly shook up as I was, I had always been strong and good at hiding emotion.

Next thing I knew after the funeral, I was standing in front of the Newsboys' Lodging House, dressed in my new identity as Davey Price. Here goes nothing…

A/N- Hope you liked it! This chapter was incredibly slow, just setting up the rest of the story. It's my first one so review review review!! Next chapter soon to follow.

LLKNY

Cailain Baire Conlon


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello all my darling readers. Im sorry the last Chapter 2 did not turn out right. My computer only uploaded half the story so here ya go!! I promise to put up chapter 4 very soon!!! LLKNY, cailin baire conlon**

Chapter 2: My New Life

As I walked up the creaky wooden house stairs of the nearly vacant house with the old man who managed the house, I felt strange. Not only because of the feeling of emptiness inside of me but also because I realized with a start that I was going to be living with BOYS. I had never even had to share a room with a sister (which I had none of) and now I had to share a room with several BOYS. This would be weird.

"Your bed is that one, in the middle on the bottom. The boys around you will introduce themselves once they get home. You had better get settled before they all get home and attack you, young man," the kindly old man suggested before returning to his reading at the front desk downstairs.

I didn't know how literally he meant "attacked" until the boys got home and noticed a newbie. They didn't hurt me or anything, just jumped, playfully hit, yelled and scared me half to death! They did all of this for about ten minutes before one of them, I believe his name was Mush, told them to settle down and leave me alone. Slowly but surely, the migrated to their bunks or back downstairs to start an anticipated game of poker or ten pins.

"Thanks," I smiled gratefully to the boy who had saved me from the hooligans.

"Don't mention it, I know we can be kind of…wild sometimes, especially when we see—"

For a moment, I thought he was going to say 'girls' but then remembered my disguise. "new kids" he finished.

"How long are you staying with us?"

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe a while, is that's okay?" I said politely

"Well it not MY lodging house! You can stay as long as the old man doesn't kick you out."

That night, as I settled down into my rather surprisingly comfortable bed, I noticed Mush's was right next to mine on the left. All the boys around me studied me curiously before introducing themselves. The boy on the other side of me introduced himself as "Jack Kelly. I'm the leada of dis here nut house."

The next ones, on the top bunks directly and on either side of me were Racetrack, Skittery, and Kid Blink and on the right side was a boy named Snipe shooter who seemed rather young.

In fact, many of the boys seemed young. I spotted one that could not be more than seven and another even younger, which thoroughly shocked me.

As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was gone despite the roarous noise around me coming from the rowdy crew.


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay everybody, Im very sorry about the mix up of the last chapter!!! So, here is the next one. As usual Read and Review!! Hope ya like it!.**

Chapter 3: Crack of Dawn, if it is even considered "dawn" yet

I was oh so rudely awakened the next morning by the elderly man shouting at the top of his lungs, "Get up! Get your lazy butts outta bed and get out there! Money don't grow on trees or fall from the sky. Let's go, let's go! Sun's gettin' up you should be too!"

At first, I thought it was a joke. He couldn't possibly expect us to get up this early? Could he? I rolled over to catch a few more Z's but Mush all by jumped vertically on top of me with a hideous war cry. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard it.

"Come on, buddy get up! We gotta sell!"

"Five more minutes…" I half snored pulling the blankets over my head. They were quickly yanked away and the bright sun came pouring through the window right into my eyes. "Fine, I'm up."

The washroom was so full; I couldn't even step into it. All the boys were all washing, or pumping, or shaving or just plain goofing around. So I waited patiently outside the door. Mush waited with me, unable to squeeze his way through the tightly packed crowd.

"So, you ever been a newsie before, Davy?" I shook my head in reply. "I didn't think so. You wanna sell with me today, just to get a feel for it? I think that's a good idea." He complimented himself. It seemed I had no choice, but I didn't really care. I like Mush very much; he was a very friendly type chap easy to get along with.

I followed him to Newspaper Row, where the papers were sold to the distributors, and bought myself only 10 papers, I was not expecting to do very well on my first day. Mush, however, very confident in his skills, bought himself 50, even though the headline was bad. When I told him of my speculation his laughed and replied, "But headlines don't sell papes, Davy boy, newsies do!"

We arrived in a park not far from my old house not ten minutes later. "I used to live right around here," I told him before I could judge if it was safe.

"You were a scab?" he asked, obviously surprised. "I don't mean any offense but, ya know…"

"'S all right, Mush," I chuckled. "Yeah, before my parents' accident…"

He obviously sensed it was a sensitive topic for me so he didn't press for details. Instead, he kindly changed the subject to lighter matters.

"Did ya know a girl named Jane Price?" he asked, nearly knocking me off my feet.

"Um, I don't know…maybe?" I stammered franticly pretending I was calm rather unsuccessfully. "How do you know her?"

"I don't. I've just heard Billy Boots talk about her. She lives somewhere around here so I thought when you lived here. I wish I could meet her! Bootsy makes her sound like some kind of angel. Is she really that pretty?"

"Naw. Brown hair, brown eyes, skinny type. Nothin special," I shrugged.

"That's not how Boots made it sound! In fact, I pictured her to look more or less like you."

I chuckled at my own personal joke. He looked inquisitively at me and cocked his head to the side. I noticed for the first time how incredibly breathtakingly beautiful he was. His curly light brown hair fell just short of his warm golden eyes set nicely into his light olive skin. I felt my face soften and my eyes warm but quickly looked away before he could catch the admiring look on my face.

"Well, maybe you can meet her sometime," I smiled. "I think you'd like her. C'mon, we got papes to sell."


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, so this one isn't much longer, I apologize, but school is kinda hectic right now… I hope you like this chapter anyway! – Cailain Baire Conlon **

**Once again, I do not own newsies! Only David!! **

Chapter 4

We finally got all of our "papes" (that's what Mush called them) sold. So he suggested going to Tibby's for dinner. I was rather inclined to agree due to my growling stomach.

"So tell me more about this Jane kid," he pressed once we had ordered.

"Well…"Heck! What could a few little exaggerations do? "She's this absolutely beautiful kid! She's got a heck of a body and gorgeous hair. Her personality just blows you away!"

"Wow. I have to meet her!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure. But she's in Boston right now staying with family. You can meet her soon though." I half promised-half lied.

_______________________That night at the Manhattan Lodging House__________________________

"Heya, Davey!" greeted Racetrack, the short Italian boy who lived at the house.

"Hi." I replied shortly, smiling. I loved it when they called me Davey, as if they had any other choices.

"Think fast, kid!" I heard Cowboy shout playfully before a blow came to my stomach. I'm sure it was meant to be playful but it was hard since I wasn't used to it. I doubled over in pain.

"Sorry there Dave, didn't mean to hurt ya" he half apologized- half taunted. I smirked to myself and popped up, running my fist rather weakly into his stomach. He laughed and the play fight continued pain mostly on my part. Finally, a particularly hard blow-I'm sure it was unintentional- flew into my mouth and I fell back onto the floor and blood gushed from my mouth and nose.

"I win!" shouted Cowboy.

Of course, Boots picked that moment to come in.

"Jane! What the hell happened to you?!" he screamed, catching sight of me.

"There's no 'Jane' hear, muttonhead," I growled.

"Oh yeah, sorry, Davey. You okay?"

"Fine," I relpied, heading to the bathroom.

"Let me help you…what happened?"

"I can do it myself perfectly fine. And I just got in a little tussle with Cowboy," I coldly informed him.

"YOU GOT IN A FIGHT WITH JACK?!?!" he whisper yelled at me. "You gotta be kiddin me! NOBODAY should fight him… not even his boys! The only one who has ever beat him is Spot and Spot… You shouldn't be fighting ANYBODY!"

"Shut up, bonehead, you aint me mudda," I snapped. He looked taken aback and hurt as I breezed past him and followed the rush of newsies down the stairs to get their papes.

"Davey wait up!" called Mush from a few yards away outside. "Hey, what was wrong with Boots? I've never seen him like that before. He called you Jane…?"

"Yeah, uh, must be dumb or somethin'. C'mon lets get our stinkin' papes," I grumbled, still annoyed in the extreme with Boots.

Mush looked skeptically at me for a moment but then shrugged in his usual light manner and put on his glorious smile again as we approached the huge line at the distribution center.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own newsies!! I only own David. **

**A/N: ENJOY!!**

Chapter 5

After we had finished selling that day, we decided to go to the park, since it wasn't even close to dinner time. When we had arrived and walked around a little while, a girl came prancing up to Mush.

"Mushy, baby!" she squealed in a high-pitched voice that fit her image. She was about a head shorter than Mush and had perfectly curled platinum blonde hair flowing from beneath a stylish had and cascading over her well filled out shoulders and chest and almost down to her narrow waist. For a split second, I envied her perfect appearance but then I figured my little charade would not have worked if I had been well filled out, since I had to tie my chest down as it was.

"Heya, angel!" he grinned wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her neck. Something inside of me stirred. Surely, I wasn't jealous of this- this DOLL? "Dave, this here is Nicole," he leaned in closer to me and whispered, "She used to be my girl."

I nodded politely to the girl and she giggled an incredibly annoying sound that reminded me of a squeaky wheel on cobblestones.

She walked around with us for a while, but then made an excuse about having to leave. Thank god, I had been about to strangle her to put an end to her shameless flirting and annoying giggle.

"Ain't she somthin'?" Mush grinned, watching her strut away in a girly fashion with and over exaggerated movement in her hips.

"Yeah, somthin;," I agreed. _Somethin', but I didn't say what that somethin is!_

"Davey-boy! Just da one I'se was lookin for," cheered Racetrack when Mush and I entered Tibby's later that afternoon. "Come ova hea, I'se got a prepoisle fa yo!"

"He ain't interested in bettin', ya vulture," laughed Mush, steering me to a different table. The hand he had put on my shoulder in order to do this action sent electric thrills down my spine.

No sooner had we eaten then we were practically thrown back out onto the street by out grumpy waiter.

_Manhattan Lodging House, around Midnight_

"David! David wake up!" someone was loudly whispering and shaking me.

"Go 'way, it's too early," I yawned rolling over.

"Poke up, sleepy head!" another voice leered.

I mumbled something hardly definable to my own ears and to my shock, the warm blankets were ripped off me and I was thrown over someone's shoulder. The someone started running and before I knew it, I was outside headed for the park.

I heard whispering, laughing then we were running again.

Suddenly, I was heaved off the shoulder and thrown through the air. On my way down, my head smashed into something. A rock? A tree? I brick building? I didn't know but it sure did hurt! Then _SPLASH! _ I found myself engulfed in water. It was dark and I had a topsy-turvy feeling from my head injury and I couldn't tell which way was up.

Quite obviously, I am not a fish therefore I cannot breath under water. Within seconds, I was out of breath and my muscles were dead from flailing. I sank in some unidentified direction into the deep, black water.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I woke up the next morning-or what I thought was so- with a roaring, splitting headache. It trobbed so terribly, you'd think my heart was contained inside of my skull.

I heard voices, distant and fuzzy though they were. The strange voices hummed in low tones and then I felt a gentle, warm, large hand alight on my forehead and send electricity flowing freely through my body. At first, it confused me. Surely this was not my father's hand? Surely this had not just been a realistic nightmare? I had to know so I, with much difficulty, opened my eyes and peered at the blurry figures leaning over my bed, all six of them.

"He up!" one of them shouted excitedly in a clearing voice. I heard echoes of his excitement from all the other bodies slowly coming out of the shadows of my vision. First there was Mush, who's hand was on my forehead. Then, next to him, were Jack and Race and three boys whom I believed were called Kid Blink, Skittery, and Snipeshooter. What is this anyway? Why all the concern and excitement and pain?

"What?" I murmured as loudly as possible, which was rather quietly.

"You hit your head, remember?" aksed Jack gently. IT all came flooding back: the night, the shoulder, the running, the smash, the drowning. I suddenly remembered I was going to die.

"I drowned. I'm dead," I informed them rather flatly in a scratchy voice.

"Not quite," an unfamiliar voice chuckled. "Pretty close but our buddy here," he gestured to Mush who's hand was just leaving my head, "Jumped in after ya. We didn't know you can't swim—,"

"I can swim!" I quickly protested. "I just hit my head, I was confused."  
"Well either way, Mush saved y'r life!" said Racetrack. I looked up the Mush, who was blushing slightly, a very attractive shade, and smiled a bit.

"Hey boys!" whisper yelled a younger boy sprinting up the stairs. "Boots is coming! He's half a block down the street!"

All the boys got devilish looks on their faces and slinked off to different bunks and leaned against them with expressions of sorrow on their faces. I looked inquisitively to Blink, who was closest to me.

"Bootsy don't know bout it yet," he smirked. "We're just gonna play a little trick on him."

I got it and decided to play along, just for the fun of it. So I let my muscles go loose and my head droop off of my pillow and I closed my eyes.

"Heya Fellas! How ya-AH! Wha-wha-She's…?" I felt him rush to my side and put a hand on my forehead as he stuttered and yelled in shock and dismay.

"He hit his head than drowned when we were swimmin' night before last," one of the boys informed him.

"He did drown. All the way? Is my Janey-girl…y'know….like gone?"

I couldn't stand it any longer, I could hear the tears in his voice and could feel his gentle hand trembling on my face.

"Not all the way, and m'name's David," I mumbled.

"Davey!" he yelled, more excited than I've ever heard anyone in my life.

"Aw man! David! He was just believin' us! Couldn't you have played along like two more minutes?" groaned Racetrack.

"Wait, that was just a joke?" he seemed hurt and taken aback by that revelation.

"No, I did almost hit my head and almost drowned, just woke up a few minutes ago in fact, and Mush pulled me out before I DIE died," I admitted guiltily.

"Jane," he whispered. "What are they doin to ya here? This aint any good for ya. Yo'r becoming one of them. Ya'know, you don't have to stay here."

"What? But I wan--."  
"Come live with me and my pops, we'd be happy to have ya. You wouldn't have to work, or sleep in a bunkroom like this, or sell papers or—"

"But Boots, I LIKE it here. I want to stay."

"Man, you DID hit your head hard. Don't you want ta get back ta civilization?"  
"No, Boots, like I said, I like it here, I like sellin papes, and I like all the boys. I really don't want to leave."  
"But, I want you to, Jane. You changed too much here. 'Sides, I'd like to see you clean and in a dress again. Please?" he pleaded, rather offended at my decision.

"I think you should go now, Boots. See you later." He stood up and gave me one last imploring look and then turned and left, leaving my feeling horribly guilty and the other boys looking quizzically at me. I huffed out a sigh and made myself drift off to sleep to avoid explaining anything to the boys, especially Mush, who was looking speculatively at me.

**A/N:** okay, 'nother rough chapter. I promise the next one will be longer and more exciting. Thanks to all who still read! I really appreciate all the reviews!

LLKNY, cailin baire conlon


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry, this one has been a long time in coming but suddenly I'm ready to finish it. As before, read and review please. Thanks!! LLKNY, Switchblade

Chapter 7

I felt guilty the next day, and the next, and the next day after that about the way I had treated Boots, after all he had been one of my best friends.

"What's wrong with you, Davey boy?" Mush asked the third day after the incident.

"I think maybe we were too harsh on Boots. I mean, that was pretty mean of us…"

"Yeah well, he could use a little excitement in his dull life. He's never had a girl, the only girl I've ever heard him talk about is this girl named Jane and he is fascinated with her. She actually sounds great but he's never done nothin' with her. You know her by any chance?"

"Jane?" I asked, trying to recover from the creepiness that I had just heard; Boots talks obsessively about me. "Yeah, I've met her. She's a nice kid. Pretty brown eyes, long brown hair. Kinda scraggly like though."

"Y'think you could hook me up with her?" he asked, looking at me with an odd expression and quirking an eyebrow. "I think she sounds great."

"Um, maybe sometime in the future…I-I don't know," I stuttered uncomfortably.

"Well maybe it can be your repayment to me for savin' your life, eh?" he raised an eyebrow and looked at me as a hunter looks at a prey he is leading into a trap.

"Thank you, by the way," I blushed, "for pulling me out. I never thanked you for that."

"HA! That proves it!" he cheered loudly, scaring me half out of my skin. "Come with me!" It seemed I had no choice because he took my hand and dragged me behind a statue away from the rest of the people in the park we were in at the moment.

"P-proves what?" I asked uncomfortable, hoping it wasn't what I thought it was.

"The evidence: you hardly eat as much as the rest of us, even when it's provided. You won't drink or smoke. You blush when we take off our shirts and never take off your own. You sleep stick strait every night, never sprawled like us. You thank me for pulling you out and never talk about girls and get embarrassed when we do. You aren't like us. You're not one of us. You're a girl." He concluded triumphantly seeing the look of sheer shock possessing my features,

"No, no I'm--,"

"Yes you are! I know you are. Now, what is your real name?"

"Please don't tell the others! Please don't reveal me!" I pleaded in a way a boy certainly never would. "This is my last resort and I can't lose it! My parents are gone, I have no family I'd care to stay with. Please, Mush! As a friend!"

"Don't worry, Davey," he winked. "I'm not going to tell anybody about this, I just wanted to know for sure. Now, I'm guessing you're Jane?"

"Yeah. Guess I'm not as good of an actress as I thought…" I mused, disappointed in myself for my lack of talent.

"Well you are, I'm just hard to fool. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," he promised, looking at me through his pretty brown eyes.

"Thanks," I smiled gratefully at him and he smiled right back at me.

_________________________That Night at the Lodging House…________________________

"Heya, Davey boy!" Jack called me from across the room.

"Hey what, Jacky?" I shouted back at the top of my lungs, just to mock him.

"We're going swimmin' tonight, you in?"

"Naw, I'm too tired tonight," I quickly excused. In reality I would like nothing better but I could not go swimming with these boys who thought I was a boy too, especially when I was wearing a white shirt. "Besides, I don't feel like drowning tonight."

He looked a little guilty at first but quickly recovered and shrugged and began calling to other older boys. All of whom went, except for Mush.

Later that night, when everyone was in bed and asleep, Jack began going around and shaking the boys who were going that night. Five minutes later, they all trooped quietly down the creaky staircase and out the door.

I rolled over in my bed so the side with my face was toward Mush. He as awake I could see and looking at me intently. I was uncomfortable under his somewhat fascinated gaze and squirmed a little. Silently, he reached his hand out and stocked my face with his fingers. Dark scarlet color crept up my cheeks and I thanked god it was dark so he couldn't see.

"Goodnight, Daver girl," he chuckled and rolled over so his back was facing me.

Wow, eventful day much?

**A/N: Hope you like the new advancements! To anyone still reading this story: please review and give me ideas for further chapters! Thank you all!! LLKNY**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Get up, fellas, get up!" Kloppman was yelling what seemed like minutes later. "C'mon, you too, you too! David that does not exclude you! Le's go!"

I groaned and rolled over to get up. Just in time, Race was poised over me with a pillow, ready to smack the living daylights out of me. I stuck out me tongue and he just laughed and went about his morning routine.

I was getting my papers about a half an hour later and Mush came up behind me and leaned down to whisper into my ear, "Don't get too many, we're going somewhere after your done and I want that to be early."

I looked questioningly at him but shrugged and only got twenty.

"Where are we going exactly?" I asked, following him away. He had gotten only thirty papers.

He shrugged and gave me a mysterious look while continuing forward.

"I'm not going to go if you don't tell me!"

He suddenly turned down and unexpected way and threw a glance over his shoulder to make sure I was following. When he was satisfied that I was, he started hawking his papers without a word to me. I continued to follow while also selling mine. Selling wasn't good for either of us, having the other so close by. I decided to split off a little and took off down an alley a ways before continuing to sell on the street on the other side of it.

"Davey?" I heard him call from another street on the other side of the alley way I had just come though. "Hey, Dave, where'd you get off to?"

"Over here, Mush!" I called back, taking a break from hawking the made up headline I was using today.

He smiled and trotted over to me. Most of his papers, I noticed, were gone. He only had a very few left.

"Well aren't you just a great seller today," I grumped at him. He raised his eyebrows in surprise but the smile never left his face.

"Here, I'll help you sell the rest of yours and then we can go. Follow me and we'll head over as we sell, sweetheart—I mean Dave. Sorry." I looked at him curiously but he shrugged it off, took half of my papers, and began to walk away.

"So where did you say we're going?" I asked, hoping to get something out of him this time.

"I didn't tell you where we're going yet. You'll just have to wait and see." He grinned mischievously at me as he sold another paper. There was silence until all the rest of the papers had been sold.

"Where are we now? I don't recognize any of this place?" I asked as we neared the docks next to a massive bridge.

"Don't tell me you've never been to Brooklyn!" he cried in genuine shock.

"I never had a need to go. I never left Manhattan, besides vacations to Coney Island. Whats in Brooklyn exactly?"

"Not 'what,' who." He grabbed my hand—sending electric heat up and down my arm with his warm, calloused hand—and pulled me toward and over the bridge.

We made it over the terrifyingly high bridge without once being blown off by the wind or falling through the concrete, thank god, and headed toward the docks.

"Heya, Mushy!" called out a few boys from the water, whose clothing ranged from skimpy to non-existent so I shielded my eyes, pretending to look at all the boxes and crates instead. He waved cheerfully back.

"Well, looky here!" a voice jeered from atop a throne-like pile of wooden boxes. I could not see the face because the sun was too bright but the voice sounded husky and throaty. "It's one o' dem well-mannered 'hattan boys, aint it? No wait, it's just Mush. What Mush? No girls? C'mon, buddy!"

Mush looked at me and winked. "No, not today. Sorry, pal."

The boy jumped down and landed inches from me, grinningly spit shook with Mush, than turned to me.

"And this is…?" although he was looking at me, he addressed Mush. "I don't recognize this one. Must be your new guy?"

"Yeah. Spot Conlon, Davey. Davey, Spot." He made brief introduction. I studied the boy as he studied me intensely.

He was on the short side, only a few inches taller than short, little me. He was lissome but his muscles screamed to be noticed and once they were noticed, showed the observer the power of this boy. Spot had a nice face. Wow, that's the understatement of the year! His face was stunning is still an understatement. It was perfectly proportioned, his nose, unlike many of his fellows was strait from being set properly when broken; his jaw was square and strong; his cheeks were gaunt and looked a bit scruffy from not being shaved today; his hair was a beautiful ashy-blonde. Last, his eyes; instantly my favorite feature of his. They were the most beautiful, serene, terrifying, beautiful, shocking, magnetic icey-blue eyes I had ever seen. They demanded attention, set in his sun kissed skin. All in all, he looked rather like a god instead of a newsie.

He startled me out of my mental gaping by saying, "He don't look like much. Kinda gawky, scragely thing, aint he?"

I colored and moved my eyes to the floor of the wooden dock.

"Yeah, but I like him well enough. Ah, quit scaring him, Spot. C'mon, take us on a tour of your kingdom, eh?"

Spot continued to looked intently at me for another minute before nodding slowly and turning away with a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He called over his shoulder to me as he walked away, "You comin'… Davey?" _Why did he say that so oddly? What a strange boy…_

**Okay, longish but dull. But Spot is in it so that makes is at least a little better, right? **

**Special Thanks to: - you are the most faithful, bestest reviewer I have **** Cookies to you!! **

**Everyone else: Thanks for the adds but please please PLEASE review or I will Spot Conlin you (yes it's a word, look it up on Urban Dictionary :) **


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